Envelope fastener



Aug. 7, 1923.

F. w. CURN AN ENVELOPE FASTENER Filed Nov. 5, 1921 Patented Aug. 7,1923.

UNITED srrss FRANK W. CUBNAN, 0F DEE-BY, CONNECTICUT.

' ENVELOPE FASTENER.

Application filed November 5, 1921. Serial No. 513,036.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. CURNAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Derby, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, haveinvented an Improvement in Envelope Fasteners, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to envelope fasteners and more particularly tothat type in which a cord or a string is attached either to the body orthe flap of the envelope, and a securing means is attached to the othermember about which the string may be wound to secure the flap in closedposition.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fastener of this typewhich is inexpensive to manuafcture and will securely hold the string tothe wall of the envelope.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved means forsecuring the string to the envelope which may be punched from sheetstock and which be I easily and quickly applied.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the improvedfastener disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is aplan view of the rear side of an envelope with the flap closed.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to 1 with the flap open showing the reverseside of the securing means for the string.

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 'is a perspective view of the rear side of the securing meansbefore being applied to the envelope.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the end or inner side of the securing meansshowing the method of securing the string, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the gripping means for thestring.

The body of the envelope is represented by the numeral 10 which isprovided with a flap 11 closing one end or side thereof. A string 12 issecured either to the flap or the body, of the envelope preferably tothe flap and the other member is provided with a securing means 13, inthe embodiment shown, a disc fastened to the envelope and adapted tohave the string wound around the same for fastening the flap in closedposition as is usual in this type of fastener.

Mv improved means for securing the end of the string to the flapcomprises a flat plate 14: preferably of metal and oblong, as

shown in the drawings. It is stamped from sheet stock and punched with apair of spaced openings 15 providing two sets of prongs 16 surroundingthese openings and projecting from one side of the plate. Theseprongsare so arranged that one prong 17 in one set is substantially onthe line joining the centers of the two openings, and two prongs 18 inthe other set are on opposite sides of the prong 17 and the line joiningthe centers of the openings. These prongs are adapted to be forcedthrough the wall of the envelope or like article and clinched over onthe back or inner side thereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, thussecurely fastening the plate and the string to the en velope. It ispreferable to place a washer 19 over the prongs before clinching thesame to. prevent tearing of the wall of the envelope and pulling out ofthe fastener.

The string is secured between the plate and outer or top surface of theenvelope wall, and extends transversely of the plate 1 substantiallyhalfway between the openings 15, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5.When the prongs 16, 17 and 18 are clinched over, the prong 17 grips thestring substantially at right angles while the prongs 18 grip the stringon opposite sides of or straddling the prong 17, as clearly shown inFig. 5. This arrangement provides a very strong gripping action on thestring and securely fastens the same to the wall of the envelope.

It will be apparent the device is very simple in construction and may becheaply manufactured and applied to the envelope, and

that the string is very securely fastened thereto.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention. what I claim is:

1. A fastener of the character described comprising a double eyelet, andmeans for securing a string and the eyelet to an envelope comprisingprongs on opposite sides of the string and bent over and gripping thesame and the wall of the envelope.

2. Means for securing a string to an envelope or like article comprisingan eyelet having a prong projecting from one side thereof, said prongbeing adapted for insertion in the wall of the envelope or the like andto be bent over the string and grip the same between the eyelet and thewall of the envelope.

3. A device of the class described comprising an eyelet having aplurality of spaced gs on one sid ereon said ipmngs mfifi L9 be inserteiIQllhih ills off an envelope or the like and bent over a string to gripthe same and thewa-ll of the envelope, one prong as it is bent overlying between i two other prongs bent invthe oppositecdirection.

4. Means for securing! string to an onvelope or like article comprising:1v plate hav- Leg We holes ther n. mending 2e inl lrality oi prongs :1mangle-nich ple enslnp sd to he i fi fiflflyin the wall fi e-11 en elopor the like .olianchcdnn he nppoeiicsidc 'hflffl'filfi,

and a s ring entend ng betweenith 1mm 012cm ings, .a ip eng Efrem -oneJopening being clinched .ove thest ngrand tw p ongs o the n her {open ngbeing :allsp clinched Over the string and on opposite sides of the firstpron ' 5. 1' eans for securing a string to an enitelo ple n1 likearticle comprising a plate having one or more prongs adapted forinsertion in .a nllnf the envelope or the like and to he clinched overand secure the same thereto, nd o e 1' e of said prongs beings-adap edto he climbed overz he. string to grip :the

same. V i

te timony whereo'flafiximyisignature.

FRANK *GURNAN;

